The Buddha Of Suburbia is 25

“Elvis is English”

Much has been written about The Buddha Of Suburbia since its release in the UK twenty five years ago today. One of Bowie’s own favourite works, this ‘soundtrack’ album seems to have flown under the radar for far too long.

Though loved by a loyal core of Bowie fans, The Buddha Of Suburbia is generally underappreciated, as summed up in this closing paragraph from a recent 25th celebration by Julian Marszalek for The Quietus:

“Even after 25 years, The Buddha Of Suburbia is a strange anomaly in David Bowie’s back catalogue. Both ignored and misunderstood upon its release, the album’s re-emergence in 2007 was met once again with very little fanfare and it remains the album that so few Bowie fans have heard of, let alone listened to. As such, The Buddha Of Suburbia is an album ripe for discovery, not least as it contains an approach and execution that not only captures the best of Bowie’s past but also kick starts his future. And in 1993 and for almost 10 years afterwards, The Buddha Of Suburbia really was David Bowie’s best album since Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps). It’s time that was acknowledged.”